Nigerian football is known for its sheer entertainment value. Spectators and the football world have no idea what to expect from this dynamic African team.
The story started way back in 1994 when they captured the football world’s heart and imagination when they made their way to the top 16 of the World Cup. Sadly it was where it came to an end when Italy defeated them, but it is where the world got to start rooting for this underdog team.
Even though they lost, they led most of the way through the encounter. The Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Amuneke, scored from inside the box to set the tone for the majority of the game. However, just before the 90-minute mark, Italy’s Roberto Baggio snuck in a goal to bring Italy back with a chance. The game went to extra time, and unfortunately for Nigeria, Baggio’s goal scored in the first period of extra time spelled the end of their World Cup glory.
However, known for their fighting spirit, Nigeria has shown their lion-heart attitude on the field and is a crowd favorite at the World Cup tournament. Not only is a crowd-pleaser, but they have also shown that they have real talent and have qualified five out of the six times in subsequent WC qualifiers. In 1998 and 2014, in particular, they showed great skill in getting to knockout rounds. In 2018 the Super Eagles were also close to getting to the round of 16 when Argentina’s Marcos Rojo scored to shatter their hopes of moving on.
So let’s look at how they are squaring up for the next round of WC magic and making their way to Qatar.
Nigerian Football Shines Leading Up To The World Cup
Last year saw Nigeria spring back to life in Africa’s hotly contested Cup. They had missed the mark and never qualified in 2012, 2015, and 2017, but not to be kept down, Nigeria managed to show excellent form with some exceptional soccer during the African Nations Cup 2019.
Besides the African National Cup, the team has also posted good friendly-performances such as a 4 – 2 win over Argentina in 2017. Their draws against Brazil and Ukraine are results that speak for themselves.
The Youth Are Taking World Football By Storm
There is a long list of Nigerian superstars that are appearing on the line ups of some of Europe’s top leagues and teams. There are players from the African country in competitions such as the Premier League, Ligue 1, and La Liga. Football teams like Man United feature Odion Ighalo, Leicester City have taken on Wilfred Ndidi, not to mention Alex Iwobi at Everton.
Over and above that, their U-17 team is a record winner of the Junior World Cup. With football being extremely popular in the country, young boys play from a very early age, which is now showing in their performances worldwide.
Big club scouts are starting to notice the talent coming from this football-crazy country.
Waiting for the East magic!
Moving to the East. 4 out of Nigeria’s U-17 wins happened in Asia. This makes Qatar a desirable option, and the Nigerians will be hoping to have a shot at the cup in an area that seems to favor their style of play. Qatar 2022 World Cup will provide the right conditions for the Nigerians to perform at their best.
What’s more, the high temperatures further suit the Nigerians who are used to playing the expected November, December games of 36 + degrees. This does not favor European teams as much and may prove to be a great advantage.
With all this in their favor, Nigeria must give themselves a fighting chance to get to Qatar and could even have an inkling of a win coming their way. 1xBet clients are in for a real treat. Nigerian players can keep betting on their home team at 1xBet with great odds and support them all the way to the top!
Leave a Reply